Folding cot.



3 is a side elevation of mattress B.

struction, but are 'shown with their vposts F No. veeos.Y

Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. MAOKLE, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

y FoLDlNe ooT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,908, dated April11, 1905. Application med May s, 1904.Y serial No. 206,217.

T0 all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that I, J oI-IN J. MACKLE, of the city of Toronto, countyofYork, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Oots, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to devise a simple, strong, and convenientfolding cot; and it consists,essentially, of the details of constructionof the connections between-the bottom frame and the ends and of theconnections between the sides, the ends, and the bottom frame,substantially as hereinafter more specificallydescribed and thendefinitely claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved folding cot. Fig. 2 is across-section showing' one of the sides swung down. Fig. the cot'folded,and Fig. 4 an end elevation of the cot folded. Fig. 5 is a perspectivedetail showing the connection between one of the bearing-pieces and thecot end. Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the connection between thesides and ends of the cot.

In the drawings like letters of reference indieate corresponding partsin the different figures.

The cot comprises a bottom frame A, the ends D, and the sides E. Thebottom frame may carry a woven-wire spring or be provided with othersuitable means for supporting the (See Figs. 3 and 4.) The bottom framemay be made of any suitable material and of any construction,but isshown as formed of steel or iron bars of any suitable shape. Braces Oare secured across the corners, as shown in Fig. 1, and each brace hasjournaled thereon a caster a, upon which the cot may run when folded, ashereinafter described.

The cot ends D may be of any ordinary conflattened adjacent to thebottom frame, as indicated at Against the iiattened parts of the poststhe bearing-pieces G impinge. Of cou rse if the posts were round thebearing -pieces would be correspondingly shaped. These bearing-piecesextend, as shown, some distance above the bottom frame and are securedthereto in any suitable manner, preferably by having horizontal straps cformed integral therewith and riveted or bolted to the sides of thebottom frame. The lower part of each bearing-piece has a V-shaped claw dformed thereon. These claws are adapted to engage the headed studs e,secured to the posts F. Each bearing-piece has a slotf formed thereinclose toits outer edge. vThese slots receive the pins g, secured to theends of the lower rails H of the Vcot sides E,toward their outer edges.The upper rails I of the cot sides have downwardlydepending hooks orlugsla, formed onor secured thereto, which are adapted to engage the keepersc', secured to the upper ends of the posts F. From this construction itwill be seen that the claws d and studs e. form a detachable connectionbetween the lower parts of the bearingpieces G and the cot ends and thatthe posts and the cot ends are held in close engagement with thebearing-pieces by the rails I. This Aconstruction makes the cot when setup eX- ceedingly stiff and strong. If it be desired to use the cot withone side down, the side is lifted to withdraw the hooks It from thekeepers c', the pins g, moving vertically in the slots f, permittingthis movement. The side may now be swung down to the position shown in 4Fig. 2. As the slots f are located toward the outer sides of thebearing-pieces, the cot side hangs down vertically, the offsetting ofthe .slot enabling it to pass clear of the side of the bottom frame. Forconvenience in folding and for the further purpose of strengthening andstiffening the cot I provide the links K, pivotally connected with thesides of the bottom frame and with the posts of the cot ends below thesame. If it be desired to fold the cot completely, the sides are liftedto disengage their hooks from the keepers and then folded inwardly ontop of the mattress, the slots f permitting the sides to accommodatethemselves exactly to the thickness of the mattress and bedclothing. Thebottom frame at one end is then lifted to disengage the claws Z from thestuds be swung on the links K to a position on top of the sides E. Theother end maybe similarly disengaged and then folded in, as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. The folded cot now rests on the casters d, and being,aswill be seen, of comparatively little thickness may be easilypushedaway under a bed or sofa.

e, whereupon the cot end may IOO The most important feature of myinvention is the construction of the bearing-pieces extending well abovethe bottom frame and having the claws at their lower ends engaging theheaded studs on the cot ends, the cot ends being held in engagement withthe bearing-pieces by the rails I, which are detachably engaged with theupper parts of the posts.

Another important feature is the arrangement by which the cot sides maybe swung outwardly and downwardly or turned inwardly and laid upon nthemattress, together with the arrangement of the slots by which the sidesaccommodate themselves to the thickness of the mattress and bedclothing.

I do not desire to confine myself to the exact details of constructionshown, as these may be Varied somewhat without departing from the spiritof my invention. For instance, as shown in Fig. 5, the slot is notnecessarily cut right through the bearingpiece, and a cut m is formedinto one side of the slot, through which the pin g may be inserted orremoved. If both sides be thus removed, the cot may be employed as abed. In this case it is desirable to provide hooks Z on the posts F,which may be engaged with the headed pins n on the bearing-pieces. rlhecot will then be perfectly rigid without the sides. (See Fig. 5.)

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a folding cot the combination ofabottom frame; a vertical bearing-piece secured to each corner of theframe and facing toward the end; cot ends having bearing-surfaces whichthe bearing-pieces are adapted to engage; detachable connections betweenthe lower ends of the bearing-pieces and the cot ends; and side barsdetachably connected to the cot ends, substantially as described.

2. In a folding cot the combination of a bottom frame; a verticalbearing-piece secured to each corner of the frame and facing toward theend; cot ends having bearing-surfaces which the bearing-pieces areadapted to engage; a claw formed at the lower end of each bearing-piece;headed studs on the ends with which the said claws may be engaged; andside bars detachably connected to the cot ends, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a folding cot the combination of a bottom frame; a verticalbearing-piece secured to each corner of the frame and facing toward theend; a vertical slot being formed in each bearing-piece; cot ends havingbearing surfaces which the bearing-pieces are adapted to engage;detachable connections between the lower ends of the bearing-piecesandthe cot ends; cot sides having detachable connection with the ends ator near the top; and pins on the cot sides engaging the slots in thebearingpieees, substantially as described.

4. In a folding cot the combination of a bottom frame; a verticalbearing-piece secured to each corner of the frame and facing toward theend, a vertical slot being formed in each bearing-piece near its outerside; cot ends having bearing-surfaces which the bearing-pieces areadapted to enga ge; detachable connections between the lower ends of thebearing-pieces and the cot ends; cot sides having detachable connectionwith the ends at or near the top; and pins on the cot sides engaging theslots in the bearing pieces, substantially as described.

5. In a folding cot the combination of a bottom frame; a verticalbearing-piece secured to each corner of the frame and facing toward theend; a vertical slot being formed in each bearing-piece; cot ends havingbearing surfaces which the bearing-pieces are adapted to engage; a clawformed at the lower end of each bearing-piece; headed studs on the endswith which the said claws may be engaged; cot sides having detachableconnections with the ends at or near the top; and pins on the cot sidesengaging the slots in the bearingpieces, substantially as described.

6. In a folding cot the combination of a bottom frame; a verticalbearing-piece secured to each corner of the frame and facing toward theend; a vertical slot being formed in each bearing-piece; cot ends havingbearing surfaces which the bearing-pieces are adapted to engage; a clawformed at the lower end of each bearing-piece; headed studs on the endswith which the said claws may be engaged; cot sides having detachableconnections with the ends at or near the top; pins on the cot sidesengaging the slots in the bearing-pieces; and a link at each cornerpivoted on the side of the bottom frame and the side of the cot endbelow its connection with the bottoni frame, substantially as described.

7. In a folding cot the combination of a bottom frame; a Verticalbearing-piece secured to each corner of the frame and facing toward theend; cot ends having bearing surfaces -which the bearing-pieces areadapted to engage; detachable connections between the lower ends of thebearing-pieces and the cot ends; and hooks and pins whereby the upperparts of the bearing-pieces may be locked to the cot ends, substantiallyas described.

Toronto, April 27, 1904.

JOHN J. MACKLE. In presence of- J. EDW. MAYBEE, I. R. J oNEs.

IOO

